Hand fruit-picker.



A. G. CRITCHFIELD.

HAND FRUIT PICKER.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.6. 1913.

Patented Aug. 24, 1915.

Elwveutoz ALBERT G. CRITCHFIELD, F LEN'IS, OREGON. I

tra n) FBUIT-PICKER.

To all whom it may concern Be. it known that I, ALBERT Currenrl'iiLn, acitizen of the United States, residingfat Lents, in the county of'Multnomah and State of Oregon, have invented certain new and, usefulImprovements in Hand Fruit-Pickers, and I do hereby declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention,such as Wlll enable others skilled in the artxto which it appertains tomake and use the same.

-My invention relates to new and useful improvements 1n frult plckers,and has particular reference to that type which are operated by hand andresides in the provision of novel means for picking the fruit without inany way injuring it or the tree.

An important object of my invention 1s to provide a device of the abovementioned character which employs a fixed gathering member and a slidinggathering member cooperating with the fixedlmember during the operationof picking the fruit, constructed in such a manner as to prevent thefruit from becoming bruised, as well as to prevent the unnecessarymutilation of he limbs of the tree bearing fruit.

A further important object of my inven- "tion isto provide a device ofthe above mentioned character, which is constructed of few parts,reliable in its'operation, and cheap to manufacture;

The above and additional objects are accomplished by sucl'f'iueans asare illustrated in the accompanying drawings, described in the followingspecification, and then more particularly pointed out in the claimswhich are appended hereto and form a part of this application.

W'ith reference to the drawings, wherein l have illustrated thepreferred embodiment of my invention as it is reduced to practice,

.and throughout the several views of which similar reference numeralsdesignate corresponding parts: Figure 1 1s a side elevation of my devicein assen-ibled operative position 'and illustrating the manner in whichit is operated, Fig. 2 is a front elevation illustrating the device inassembled position. Fig. 3 is an end elevation illustrating the relationship of the gathering members.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings forming a. part of thisspecification and in which like numerals are employed to designate likeparts throughout Specification of Letters Patent.-

Patented Aug. 2%, 1915.

Application filed August 6, 1913. Serial No. 783,425.

the same, the numeral 4 designates as an entirety a hollow cylindricalpipe, forming the body portion of my device, and provides means fordelivery of the fruit from the trees in the manner which will behereinafter more fully described.

The picking or gathering mechanism consists of a fixed picker hand areciprocating picker 6,'that are each formed of a single piece ofsuitable metal, and provided with a plurality of picking fingers 7, thatare formed by bending the members 5 and 6 in- I termediate their ends toprovide convolutions 8 which extend at right-angles with relation to themembers 5 and'G. The fingers '7 of the member 6 are disposed above thefingers of the member 5 in spaced relation thereto, to provide a space 9through which the fruit is adapted to be inserted for the purpose ofpicking it.

The members and-(S are provided with the side portions 10 and 11respectively and the side members 10 of the member 5 are bolted orotherwise suitably secured to the plate 13 is secured adjacent the upperterminal of the member for the purpose of holding the member 5 inoperative position.

The side members 11 of the reciprocating member 6 are slidably mountedwithin the clamping plate 13 and engage the side members 10 of thepicker5. I

()ne of the side bars 11 continues in a laterally bent portion 14, whichis curved to conform to the shape of the member 4 and continues in anintegrally formed handle portion 15 which extends at right angles to theportion Ll and is provided at its outer terminal with av laterallydisposed gripping handle 16 which is suitably secured thereto andadapted for engagement with the hand of the operator. mounted upon themember -l: adjacent; the inner terminal of the handle portion 15 andserves to retain the handle portion in opera tive position upon themember 4-.

The other of the side members 11 of the integrally formed laterallyextending portion 18 which is curved to conform-tothe shape of themember 4 and bent at its free terminal irra planeparallel with thehandle member 15 and into engagement therewith A clamiin ilate 17 isreciprocating picker (3, issprovided with an order that the in order toprovide for the securing thereof to the handle portion 15 by means ot arivet 1!) or any suitable fastening means.

As a means for returning the reciprocating picker (3 into its operative.position with relation to the picker 5, this invention employs a spring20. which is secured at one terminal to a pin 21 'ormed on the member 4and its other terminal to a pin 2; formed on the upper terminal of thehandle member 1.3.

As a means For maintaining the hand of the operator lll tllt' properposition for engaging the gripping portion .10 of the handle 15. thisinvention employs a thumb en member 23. which is suitably secured to themember 4. in spaced relationship thereto by means of a bolt 24' or anysuitable fastening means. and is disposed directly below the, grippinghandle 1(3, in thumb of the operator may be engaged by the member 2-;and the fingers of the operator may engage the gripping handle 16 duringthe operation of picking the trait in trees. A similarly constructedtlmmb engaging member 25 is disposed adjacent the lower terminal of themember -l and is adapted to receive. the thumb of the free hand oi theoperator in order that the hand and fingers may be placed over tlleopening in the member 4 to catch the fruit which 'l'alls through themember t after being picked.

The operation of my device may be briefly described as follows: Theoperator grasps the picker by the thumb engaging gaging portion afterthe manner which has been hereinbel'ore described and operates thefingers 7 so that the twigs bearing the fruit will be inserted withinthespace 9 between the tin-- gers and the t'ruit'is then ready to bepicked or removed from the twig. downward pull is then given thegripping handle portions 15 and 16 against action of the spring 20,whereby the fingers of the reci 'n'oeating picker (3 .move downwardlywith relation to the lingers ot' the fixed picker, causing the fruit tobe pulled from the twig bearing the same, whereupon the fruit will fallinto the adjacent member 4: and thence there through and into engagementwith the hand of the operator, which is" as above stated, placed overthe opening at the lower end of the member 4 to catch the fruit. Theaction of the spring :20 tends to return the fingers 7 .into operativerelationship with the fingers ot' the other picker.

It will thus be seen that a picker is provided. which is adapted to pickone or more pieces of fruit at a time. and it is obvious that any numberof teeth may be employed, thereby all'ording means for picking a largequantity of fruit simultaneously.

In reduction to practice, 1 have found that the form of my invention.illustrated in the drawings and referred to in the above description. asthe preterred embodiment, is the most ellieient and practical; yet.realiz-v ing that the conditions concurrent with the adopt ion of mydevice will necessarily vary, I. desire to emphasize the tactthatvarious .minor changes in details of construction,

proportion and arrangement of parts may be resorted to, when required,without sacrificing any of the advantages of my invention. as defined inthe appended claims.

la ving thus described my invention, what is claimedis:

The combination with an elongated hollow body having its upper end open,of stationary arms secured to opposite sides of the body and extendingoutwardly from the open end thereoi. a lixed fruit picking men1- berconnected with the outer ends of the arms and extending transversely ofthe open end of the body. arms slidably mounted on opposite sides of thebody, engaging and being disposed parallel to said stationary arms, saidslidable the outer ends of the stationary arms and a movable t'ruitpicking member connected with the outer ends o't'the slidable arms andbeing disposed in normal parallel relation to said stationary .t'ruitpicking member, said fixed and movable fruit picking members arranged toengage av fruit stem.

In testimony whereof I atiixmy signature in presence of two witnesses. v

ALBERT (l. CRITCHFIELD. Vitnesses Jacon TRUST, lV. ALLEN.

arms terminating beyond r

